Startup allows people to earn stock when they shop
Spotted: US-based startup Bumped helps people earn stock by shopping. Each purchase made at a participating business earns Bumped clients stock, the company says. Bumped aims to make the stock market more accessible, according to the startup. It says 14 percent of Americans currently own stock. Its platform makes it easy to earn stock in…
Hypermarket tracks products from farm to store with blockchain
Spotted: French hypermarket chain Carrefour is using blockchain technology to provide customers with real time data on food safety. The system allows shoppers to scan a QR code to trace food back to the farm or packing centre. The blockchain system improves customers’ trust of the products, according to Carrefour. Customers scan a QR code…
Infographic: People still have no idea what IoT actually is
While the majority of people own Internet of Things devices, many don’t have a good understanding of what the technology is, according to a Metova report. IoT and the security challenges that tech companies face Cisco’s Michele Guel, Distinguished Engineer and Chief Security Architect, discusses IoT and how enterprises are working to secure the IoT…
Researchers develop plants that can trap more carbon dioxide
Spotted: Researchers at the Salk Institute have developed a way to improve the ability of plants to remove carbon dioxide from the air. Plants already remove CO2 from the air, using photosynthesis to convert it into oxygen, sugars, polymers, cellulose – and carbon, which is stored in the plants’ roots. The researchers plan to use…
A better way to turn heat into electricity
Researchers at UK-based Swansea University have developed a potentially more efficient way to turn heat produced during manufacturing into electricity. The 3D-printed device could help reduce carbon emissions and increase electricity efficiency, according to the research team. There is nothing new about thermoelectric materials, which use heat to generate electricity – or the other way…
Super-efficient lamp is powered by cooking oil
Spotted: Lumir, the company that developed an LED lamp (the Lumir C) powered by a single candle, has created a new portable light. This one is powered by a small amount of cooking oil. The Lumir K can provide an hour of light using just 5ml of oil, and can use almost any type of…
Cisco Live: 5 things businesses need to know
Cisco announced software upgrades using AI and machine learning to help IT teams gain more insights from network data. Cisco Live 2019: CEO Chuck Robbins pushes multi-cloud connectivity Karen Roby interviewed Teena Maddox, who was reporting from Cisco Live 2019. During the opening keynote, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins discussed multi-cloud connectivity, security, and how tech…
5G will reach half of the world's population by 2024
There are now 1 billion cellular IoT connections globally, and 5G operators are ramping up deployments, according to Ericsson. How businesses are setting the tone for 5G Tonya Hall sits down with Mohit Lad, CEO of ThousandEyes, to talk about how businesses are setting the expectations for 5G in the enterprise. 5G deployment and adoption is…
A music label in an app for independent artists
Beatchain is an app helping independent artists reclaim power back from the giant corporations. Fuelled by proprietary AI, automation and data science, the platform provides the functionality of a major label, distributor, promoter and manager in one place, empowering creators to build a career and a brand on their own terms. The company is keen…
Smart locker speeds up medication collection for chronically ill patients
A South African engineer has developed a digital platform that manages internet-enabled smart lockers for chronically ill patients to collect their medication. It eliminates pharmacy queuing by providing patients with a one-time PIN, which opens a locker that contains their medicine. Neo Hutiri was inspired to create the Pelebox after he was diagnosed with TB…